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GalNet/3301/May
1 MAY Quivira Feels the Wrath of Patreus Deep in the heart of the Empire, a handful of nations stand defiantly independent from their neighbours. One such nation is Quivira. Home to 37.5 million residents, Quivira has managed to maintain its independence by acting as a major supplier of industrial goods to its neighbours. Early last year Quivira suffered from a period of deep recession, during which time it took out a series of bridge loans with Silver Universal Plc . A recent increase in rates left the People’s Quivira for Equality Party unable to pay off their debts, a fact which has caused the system to become the victim of legal action carried out on behalf of Senator Patreus. Quivira Electronics Plc, an Imperial corporation, has now been authorised to actively reclaim the debt owed to Senator Patreus by the system’s current leadership. As a first step towards that goal, Quivira Electronics Plc has taken ownership of Stepledon Dock. With the Senator’s blessing, Quivira Electronics is now hiring freelance reclamation agents to help extract the remaining debt. In response, the People’s Quivira for Equality Party have set up a defence fund with the Bank of Zaonce, the contents of which will be paid out to any independent pilots who come to Quivira’s aid in its time of need. The defence of Quivira is being organised aboard Godel Dock. Patreus Responds to 'Unfounded' Accusations After a heated meeting of the Senate held earlier today, Senator Patreus made a rare appearance on ‘Question Everything’ to address the accusations levelled against Emperor’s Grace by Senator Lavigny. “This is outrageous,” the Senator began. “Emperor’s Grace has served as the loyal stewards of HR 706 for decades. A fact Senator Lavigny is well aware of.” “The very idea that one of my own would dare instigate such an attack without my knowledge is preposterous. It would never happen.” “It’s clear what this is actually all about.” “If Senator Lavigny wishes to accuse me of something, she had better come up with more evidence than that weak pile of fabricated drek she calls proof.” “If the Senator has anything of substance to share, I suggest she present it. I will not allow my men to be martyred for the sake of the Senator’s lust for the throne.” “Emperor’s Grace has my full support. They will continue to govern HR 706 in my stead and their leaders will be released from their false imprisonment immediately. These trumped-up charges will not stand.” According to security personnel on Achenar, the leadership of Emperor’s Grace has been released into Senator Patreus’s custody, and are currently serving under house arrest in HR 706. 2 MAY Prism Senator Planning New Voyage? Leaked images from the Avalon shipyards appear to indicate that Senator Kahina Tijani Loren’s Imperial Courier, the ‘Seven Veils’, is undergoing a significant refit just weeks after her recent visit to the Sol system. Security at the Avalon shipyards, which are owned and managed by Persephone station, is extremely tight. The images themselves are grainy and ill-defined, but seem to show that the drives, shields and possibly the frame-shift drive components have been significantly upgraded. Sources within the Empire note that Senator Loren has been seen at several significant social events within Imperial space recently. Despite this, she has refrained from speaking to any member of the press since returning from Sol. Speculation is rife as to her involvement with the ongoing struggle for power within the Senate. Loren has yet to declare her support for any of the leading contenders, a fact which some political pundits believe is a strong indication that she may be considering her own play for power. Securing the Old Worlds For months now, the Old Worlds have been terrorised by roaming gangs of psychopaths and thieves. Residents’ pleas for help have been rejected by the Council of Admirals, who maintain that matters of internal security are the sole responsibility of member states. Many see this rise of lawlessness as an opportunity. Pilots on both sides of the law are now flocking to the sector in the hope of making their fame and fortune. Inspired by the recent changes brought about by independent members of the Pilots Federation, a network of local business leaders have banded together to improve conditions in the Old Worlds. They are sponsoring the formation of a new coalition, and though they have yet to officially announce the group’s manifesto, support for the movement is already spreading. One member of the new coalition, Silver United Solutions, has announced that they are currently in the process of recruiting experienced security professionals to help protect the residents of Zaonce from the various gangs operating in the sector. Potential recruits are asked to report to Ridley Scott in Zaonce for assessment. 3 MAY Hostage Crisis in Eotienses Turns Bloody A tense hostage situation in Eotienses on Tuesday morning turned bloody as East India Company members failed to negotiate the liberation of an Imperial trader from the Code, a well-known pirate group. The Imperial trader, unaffiliated with either group, was destroyed after an attempted escape, resulting in tens of millions of credits in property loss as well as small-scale skirmishes between the two organizations throughout the night. EIC members later went on to admit that poor communication and victim anxiety led to this tragic outcome. Though it is unclear exactly what the hostage believed, Commander Trillen is quoted as saying: “The members of Code appeared to be getting a little jumpy and I started to worry that things were not going to end well. I contacted Commander Egg90 asking if he was ready to run if $@%# hit the fan, but I think he misinterpreted that because at that very second he boosted and was destroyed by the members of Code.” After the destruction of the trader, chaos broke out as both sides opened fire on one another. The fighting was reported to have lasted for several hours with both sides suffering major losses, and damages are currently estimated in the hundreds of millions of credits. Galnet News reached out to The Code, who had this to say: “The approximate ship destruction estimate is currently sitting at 3 EIC deaths for every 1 Code death. The Code apologizes for the destruction of all these EIC vessels, but we will destroy anyone who gets in our path of riches and plunder.” Dick McKinley - Galnet News 4 MAY Scientists Baffled by Mysterious Artefacts Thanks to the efforts of dozens of Commanders taking part in a hunt across hundreds of systems, Dr. Arcannon and his team are delighted to announce that they have finally managed to retrieve an Unknown Artefact. The artefact was recovered from a Federal Navy Convoy, following a broadcast from the group that their ships’ systems were failing. CMDR Red Wizzard is said to have demonstrated outstanding initiative, bravery and skill in recovering the artefact. Sadly, none of the convoy survived to accompany Commander Wizzard back to civilisation. A team of scientists are currently analysing the mysterious object in an undisclosed laboratory somewhere near Timocani. It is hoped that the artefact will provide a clue as to how to cure the people of He Bo. Scientists working on the mysterious item have yet to ascertain the origins of the artefact. Early reports indicate that all attempts to take samples from the object have met with failure. CMDR Arcanonn wishes to extend a warning to all Commanders. The artefacts emit a strange form of radiation that will severely damage the systems of any ship carrying the object. As such, all potential artefact hunters are advised to travel as part of a wing in case of module failure. 5 MAY Silver United Succeed at Securing Zaonce After months of being terrorised by malicious criminals intent on turning the Old Worlds into some kind of ‘New Caribbean’, residents of the Lave cluster finally banded together this past weekend to crack down on the lawless scum that had been pillaging and plundering their way across the sector. Inspired by the recent help freely given to the people of Reorte by the Alliance Elite Diplomatic Corps, Silver United Solutions decided to offer a set of substantial rewards to any pilot brave enough to help remove the criminals known as the Jet Gang from Zaonce. The initiative was an overwhelming success. 5,535 pilots were temporarily deputised during the course of the weekend, leading to the Zaonce Jet Gang (and many other local pirate crews) being crushed by the raw power of the makeshift fleet. To celebrate their success, Silver United Solutions has organised a special discount on all Faulcon DeLacy ships being sold from Ridley Scott Station, Zaonce. A limited number of Pythons have been made available for the duration of the sale. Eyes on Quivira Turmoil hit the small system of Quivira late last week, as thousands of Imperial pilots descended to deliver the wrath of Senator Denton Patreus on his debtors. In the first two days of the war, tens of thousands of Independent pilots lost their lives while bravely attempting to hold off Imperial forces from taking Godel Dock. Despite the defenders’ best efforts, Imperial ground troops were able to storm the station, seizing control of Quivira’s defence systems and effectively bringing an end to the conflict during the early hours of Sunday morning. In the face of overwhelming loss, the People’s Quivira for Equality Party were forced to retreat to Brendan Gateway to lick their wounds. Once the people’s party leadership had successfully regrouped, they launched a counterattack in an attempt to retake Godel Dock. With the help of hundreds of Independent and Federal pilots, the People’s Quivira for Equality Party and the Nationalists of Quivira were successful in forcing Quivira Electronics Plc to retreat back to Stapledon Dock. War has once again engulfed Quivira. No quarter is being offered, and none is expected. For troops on the ground, the only acceptable outcome is overwhelming victory or a quick and painless death. Commanders willing to fight to defend Quivira from the Imperial invasion should sign up for active duty aboard Godel Dock. Commanders wishing to profit from the subjugation of Quivira by Imperial forces should sign up for active duty aboard Stapledon Dock. 6 MAY Tour of Frontier Systems Set to Begin Shortly Despite a rather sceptical response to the President’s planned tour of Federal frontier systems, particularly the bizarre choice to visit 78 Ursae Majoris (a system which overwhelmingly voted to leave the Federation nearly two months ago), the President’s office has announced that the series of visits with local leaders will go ahead as planned. The following systems have already been announced as being part of the President’s trip: Hip 53688 Tinia 78 Ursae Majoris Su Furuhjlem I-645 Saga Delphin Nanoman Coriccha Ross 860 Another dozen systems are expected to be added before the President sets off on tour later in the week. Prism Senator Summoned to Achenar Senator Kahina Tijani Loren’s Imperial Courier was seen departing early morning local time from the Avalon shipyards. It rendezvoused with The Imperial Interdictor Atticus, Admiral Brice last known to be in command. The convoy is believed to be enroute to the Achenar system. According to the Imperial Herald, Senator Loren is “being hailed as a true daughter of the Empire, and assigned the rights and responsibilities as appropriate to her rank.” Quite what this means is not clear, even to seasoned Imperial watchers. Senator Loren’s political leanings are even less clear. She is reportedly in favour of slavery, having been quoted as saying “Slavery is a safety net, it ensures nobody can starve or fall into poverty.” She is also clearly prepared to use violence to achieve her aims – as revolutionaries on her home world of Prism were summarily executed after she returned to power. By contrast she seems to be in favour of closer political ties with the Federation and the Alliance. Her recent trip to the Sol system was either a carefully orchestrated political gambit, or just happy chance. Either way, her positive profile with in the Federation is certainly a factor. Senator Loren was involved in a wide-spread space battle during the reclamation of the Prism, which may have influenced her views on the effectiveness and desirability of major naval engagements. 7 MAY Arcanonn Challenges Halsey Research into the recently recovered Unknown Artefact has intensified. Scientists, engineers and Commanders are flocking to assist Dr Arcanonn and his team from all across populated space, political allegiances temporarily forgotten in the search for answers. Many theories have been hypothesised, among them that the Artefact is some kind of stasis pod, an alien exploration probe or even an exotic frame-shift drive. The object’s strange sounds have been picked apart by experts and it has been subjected to a vast array of tests, including exposure to a sample of Hafnium 178 that was ‘liberated for science’ from yet another Federation convoy. The mysterious object continues to defy all attempts at analysis and, in a controversial move, Dr Arcanonn has publicly accused the Federal authorities of withholding information regarding the Unknown Artefact. He is quoted as saying, "On behalf of all humanity, my team and I demand answers. The potential repercussions of the Artefact’s existence are staggering. We still know very little but it is clear that the technology involved is very different to our own.” Commander Arcanonn concludes his appeal: “The potential for scientific advancements are huge but so are the dangers. The Federation has to come forward and tell us what they know of this object and its origins. The time for secrecy is over." 8 MAY Hudson Demands Debate It looks like the President may not be taking her planned tour after all, following news that Shadow President Hudson has publicly challenged President Halsey to a live policy debate on the popular Federal political stream show ‘Face the People’. So far, the President’s office has declined to offer an official response to Shadow President Hudson’s request. The President is now in the unenviable position of having to turn down the Shadow President’s request, which risks making the President appear weak at a time when she needs to appear strong in order to turn public opinion around. The alternative is being forced to cancel her trip, which could potentially lose her whatever support she’s managed to muster among her frontier followers. As always, stay tuned to GalNet for more information as it becomes available. Old World Resurgence in Diso The newest rejuvenation project to hit the Old Worlds has been announced, and this time it’s the Green Party of Diso who have stepped up to the challenge of making its home a pleasant (and profitable) place to live. As most traders are well aware, Diso is famous for its Diso Ma Corn. A hearty, healthy, tasty plant, this covers itself in a light dust which when snorted produces an intense but brief feeling of contentment and wellbeing. Currently, Diso Ma Corn can only be (cost-effectively) grown on the planet of Birmingham. This is due to a unique collection of nutrients found in the planet’s soil, combined with the near-constant bombardment of the planet by solar waves being ejected from Diso itself. Now the Green Party of Diso is hoping to capitalise on its unique cash crop by increasing the output of Birmingham’s Ma Corn plantations. To do that, the Green Party has placed orders to the tune of 15 million tonnes worth of Machinery, in particular the Green Party are interest in purchasing a large quantity of Atmospheric Processors, Crop Harvesters, Power Generators and Water Purifiers. In order to earn personal bonuses you must sign up as an active participant before selling Machinery to The Diso Green Party. Only Atmospheric Processors, Crop Harvesters, Power Generators and Water Purifiers sold after signing up will be counted towards your personal contribution total. 9 MAY President Halsey Refuses Shadow President's Request The office of President Jasmina Halsey has today issued a statement refusing Shadow President Hudson’s demand to meet him for a live presidential debate on ‘Face the People’. James Speakes, the President’s Press Secretary, had this to say on the matter: “The President is of course happy to debate the Shadow President on policy. President Halsey welcomes any opportunity to talk about the many wonderful programmes she’s instigated since taking office. Sadly in this instance, prior engagements keep her from being able to attend such a debate.” “As President of the Federation, Jasmina Halsey’s schedule is booked months in advance. Clearing her entire schedule for the next two weeks simply to take part in a debate against the Shadow President is not something that the President felt that she could do. If Shadow President Hudson still wishes to debate President Halsey when she returns from her trip, then the President will be more than happy to oblige him.” 78 Ursae Majoris Reacts to President's Intended Visit Following the rather strange announcement that President Halsey will soon be visiting the ex-Federal system of 78 Ursae Majoris, GalNet reached out to local leaders and residents to get their thoughts. “I think it’s excellent that President Halsey is finally showing some interest in what’s happening in the region. It’s a shame she won’t be swinging by Townshend, I’m sure my constituents have plenty they want to say to her about the years of neglect the system suffered under Federal rule.” Andrew Bailey, Mayor of Townshend Hub – Alioth Independents “The people of 78 Ursae Majoris have made their feelings about the years of neglect very clear. That is now behind us. I say if President Halsey wishes to make amends, then it is very decent of her to come here and do so in person. Let bygones be bygones. We in the 78 Ursae Majoris for Equality Party are looking forward to the President’s visit, and we hope that it will prove to be a productive experience for the residents of Seddon Gateway.” Mary Silverstein, Seddon Gateway - Chair of 78 Ursae Majoris for Equality Party “I thought the Lughnatics murdered Halsey? She’s coming ’ere, you say? Why? I thought we were pretty clear, !*#@ the Feds, we don’t want ’em. Well... ’ere’s ’oping no one gets any bright ideas about finishing ’er off, this place was just finally startin’ ta sort itself out.” Gryph Jones, 78 Ursae Majoris B 3 - Farmer 11 MAY The Alliance Supports Five a Day in Diso! On Friday the Green Party of Diso announced their plans to rejuvenate the failing financial fortunes of Birmingham. The news was well received by independent traders from across the galaxy, many of whom immediately made their way to Diso to help ship Machinery for the Green Party of Diso. In total 5187 Commanders signed up to assist with the rejuvenation project, and together they managed to deliver a staggering 15,010,547 tonnes of Machinery to Diso over the course of just 65 hours. In particular, the Green Party of Diso would like to thank Broker Mrozak, Broker HawX, Tycoon Ace Rimzy, Tycoon Thalios Abraxas and Broker Del Boy for their outstanding efforts to stimulate Birmingham’s economy. As promised, an increased supply of Diso Ma Corn has now been released to the markets aboard Shifnalport. It is hoped that the extra corn supply will not only help to rejuvenate Diso’s economy, but that it will also help to encourage economic growth throughout the entire Old World sector. The Doom That Comes to Quivira For the last week Civil War has ravaged the independent nation of Quivira. Quivira Electronics Plc, acting under orders of Senator Denton Patreus, launched an all out attack on the People’s Quivira for Equality Party, leading to fierce fighting between the two parties in the skies above Godel and Stapledon Docks. The People’s Quivira for Equality Party managed to successfully evacuate millions of refugees to the nearby systems of Summerland and Persephone. In particular, the People’s Quivira for Equality Party would like to thank Commanders Maclolie, Tavok, Reliant, Morningstar and Aydro for holding the line long enough for the innocent residents of Quivira to escape. Unfortunately for those left behind, it appears that Senator Patreus is not quite done with Quivira. Reports from the region indicate that several Imperial Majestic class Interdictors have been spotted entering Quivira’s airspace. According to sources close to the situation, Senator Patreus now intends to make an example of the defiant nation of Quivira by driving all Independent influences out of the system. 12 MAY Prism Senator Denies Power Play Senator Kahina Tijani Loren was seen at a musical soiree on Capitol yesterday evening, taking part in a reception after her arrival in the Achenar system. Kahina was ambushed by reporters as she emerged from her transport and asked whether she was intending to challenge for the leadership of the Empire. She responded that she had “absolutely no ambitions in that direction whatsoever.” Asked whether she would support Senator Patreus or Senator Lavigny’s bid for leadership, she replied that they both had “genuine claims to the throne.” Speculation has not died down as a result. Pundits have been debating whether these seemingly straightforward answers are hiding a bigger agenda. Kazien Vantris, chief editor of the Imperial Herald, commented in his editorial - “The first rule of vying for power? Deny everything. By not directly supporting anyone she’s clearly keeping her options open. Quite why that is remains to be seen. We’ll leave that to the forums to decide.” 13 MAY The Sinner, the Saint and the Saviour Two days ago, Senator Denton Patreus officially declared War on the impoverished system of Quivira. Thousands of vessels loyal to Patreus have been pouring into Quivira ever since, bringing death and destruction to any non-Imperial ships that they find. Fortunately, most of Quivira’s residents had already been successfully evacuated to nearby systems. This is in no small part thanks to the efforts of Independent and Federal Commanders working to thwart Senator Patreus’s plans for Quivira. While the Senator begins to carve up the system for his followers, other members of the Imperial court appear to be seriously concerned about the millions of displaced civilians who now find themselves lost, angry, but not quite alone in Imperial space. In an effort to soothe the situation, both Aisling Duval and Arissa Lavigny-Duval have set up campaigns aimed at helping the refugees get back on their feet. Citizens willing to aid the Princesses in their endeavours can sign up to help Aisling’s agents at Henry O’Hare’s Hanger in Summerland. Similarly, Arissa’s agents can be found working aboard Lambardelli’s Legacy in Persephone. President Halsey Sets Out from Sol The crowds were out in force on Mars today, as residents gathered to watch the presidential battlecruiser, Space Flight One, depart on the start of President Halsey’s tour of Federal frontier systems. For security reasons, the exact details of the President’s itinerary are being kept secret. However, GalNet has been given permission to exclusively reveal the names of a dozen systems that President Halsey intends to visit during her trip. Those being: Hip 53688, Tinia, Aleumoxii, 78 Ursae Majoris, Dietri, Su, Furuhjelm I-645, Saga, Delphin, Nanomam, Coriccha and Ross 860. As Vice President Naylor will be accompanying President Halsey on her trip, the Secretary of State, Madam Winters, will be overseeing day-to-day operations on Mars during the President’s absence. 14 MAY Unrest on the Frontier New reports from the frontier suggest that a horde of militant nomads is currently sweeping their way through the Pegasi Sector. The group, who call themselves the Kumo Crew, are led by the vicious Warlord Archon Delaine. A talented tactician, and a brutal fighter, Archon famously assumed leadership of the Kumo Crew at the tender age of 15 after violently beating the previous leader to death during a clan moot. So far, the Kumo Crew have shown no interest in taking direct control over any of the regions they’ve plundered. Instead, they’ve taken to sending regular raiding parties to collect tithes on behalf of the Crew. Systems who agree to their demands are spared, while those who refuse are burnt to the ground. All attempts to stop the spread of the crew throughout the Pegasi Sector have so far met with failure. The Kumo Crew are described as being well armed, psychotic and thus extremely dangerous. 15 MAY 78 Ursae Majoris Increases Security Ahead of Presidential Visit Excitement is in the air in 78 Ursae Majoris, as millions of residents have begun preparing Seddon Gateway for the arrival of Federal President Jasmina Halsey. The exact date of the President’s arrival has yet to be announced, but residents haven’t let that stop them from arranging a week of festivities and cultural displays aboard the station. Another group preparing for the President’s visit is the Alioth Independents, who have today announced that they will be launching an initiative to increase security in the local cluster ahead of President Halsey’s visit. Andrew Bailey, the Mayor of Townsend Hub and local leader of the Alioth Independents had this to say about the new initiative: “We are very conscious that once President Halsey arrives, the whole galaxy will have its eyes on our little system. 78 Ursae Majoris has been nothing but peaceful and productive since electing to join the Alliance and the Alioth Independents will do everything in our power to ensure it remains that way throughout the President’s visit.” “Firstly, we will be running a cluster wide security campaign from Townsend Hub. As part of which, agents of the Alioth Independents will be offering a range of bonuses to bounty hunters who help clear out any unruly criminal elements in the sector.” “Secondly, members of the Alioth Independents and our allies will be launching a military campaign to finally rid the cluster of the criminal cartel known as the Sobek Boys. Military capable Commanders interested in assisting with the campaign can likewise signup for active duty aboard Townsend Hub.” 16 MAY Sol Unplugged? For the first time in almost a decade, Utopixx Entertainment, the subsidiary of Reynhardt Intellisys responsible for some of the top virtual reality experiences in the galaxy, has posted an operating loss of almost 5,000,000,000,000 credits. Investors were shocked by the news, which saw Reynhardt Intellisys shares drop by almost 14%. Reynhardt Intellisys has issued the following statement in an attempt to explain the drastic change in profits: “Overall, uptake of Utopixx products in Independent, Alliance and Imperial markets remains strong. We continue to see a yearly growth rate of between 1 and 2% per sector, which in many cases means that we are exceeding our targets.” “The losses posted for this year are partly due to the construction of a completely new and extremely exciting line of VR-Streams, which includes the latest instalment in the popular CQC franchise.” “In-sim purchases within Federal markets have fallen below expected levels, but an analysis of the market suggests that such losses are part of a general downward trend that appears to be affecting a wide range of media companies operating in Federal systems. The cause of this drop-off in purchases remains unclear at this time.” Upgrade of Parkinson Dock Complete After two weeks of frantic construction, which saw close to 70,000 engineers working around the clock to get the project finished in time, Parkinson Dock is now home to some of the most advanced factories in the entire Empire. The upgrade was completed as part of Senator Patreus’s plan to increase economic opportunities for the residents of his home system. 2,267 Commanders helped ship a total of 8,274,504 tonnes of industrial materials to Parkinson Dock, all of which were put to good use during the construction effort. In particular, the Eotienses Citizens’ Forum would like to honour Viscount Plo Koon, Baron Coiling Dragon, Earl Prawnetto, Earl Morton and Baron Kosmetas for their assistance in refitting Parkinson Dock in preparation for its new role as a dedicated research and development hub for new military technologies. 17 MAY Kahina Refuses to Commit to Factions or Future Senator Kahina Tijani Loren, currently residing as a guest on Capital at the request of Chancellor Blaine, remains completely ambivalent to inquiries into her intentions. She has airily dismissed questions regarding her purpose or what was said to her at the reception to which she was summoned and continues to ignore requests from the press. Now there appears to be another name in the frame. Cuthrick Delaney, ambassador to the Prism system, has had a long and varied career within the Empire, first coming to prominence during the events which ended the dictatorship of Dr. Walden on the Old World planet of Lave. His precise involvement in that event was unclear, and he seems to have lost none of his ability to stay close to those with power in the intervening time. He has been seen in conversation with Kahina on many occasions. There is considerable conjecture as to what stance Kahina will take. Many have stated that her aggressive tendencies will align her to Senator Patreus. Others have pointed out her support for traditional Imperial slavery, and her distant family connection to the Duvals, indicates an allegiance with Senator Torval is more likely It would appear that only Kahina, and perhaps Cuthrick Delaney, actually know. In other news, the Senator’s ship was confirmed to have had some significant modifications made to it recently, including a state of the art fuel scoop and a custom built Gutamaya discovery scanner. Federation Accused of Cover-up Despite pleas for information from the Scientific cross-faction coalition, the Federal Authorities remain tight lipped. According to sources close to Dr. Arcanonn and his team, Halsey's government have refused to even acknowledge that Federation ships have been transporting the artefacts through populated space, despite mounting evidence. The authorities have also been accused of providing the scientist with nothing more than cryptic responses designed to stall their investigations. Dr. Arcanonn is quoted as saying: "This information blackout is outrageous, they have to understand that they have no right to withhold this information. I would ask all humans, no matter their allegiance, to contemplate the existence of these objects and their meaning. I would also ask them to contemplate why the other major powers are not so much as passing the slightest comment on this. What are they hiding?" "Some members of our community are done with waiting to be fed lies, simply to allow the Federation to perhaps continue to acquire some perceived military advantage. If no information is forthcoming immediately I cannot be held responsible for the consequences." When asked to clarify exactly what this implied, Dr. Arcanonn declined to comment further. In a possibly related development reports suggest some Federation convoys are being shadowed by groups of unidentified combat ships. 18 MAY Soontill Relics Test Results Queried As further alien artefacts claiming to be from Soontill are being sold on the open market, the results of the initial scientific tests have been revealed. “We were looking for key markers,” explains Chief Xeno-Chemist Lyran Betar. “Elemental make up, crystalline structure, anything that indicates it could have originated from human hand.” And the results? Inconclusive. The research team’s results clearly state that no known human technology could have created the relics, yet they do not quite align with known Thargoid materials. Whatever they are, they are indeed very old, with isotopic dating indicating that they could well be tens of thousands of years old. Jean Molyneaux, a historian from France, Earth, suggests we look back at our own past to determine the home of these relics. “Imagine an alien travelling back two thousand years into mankind’s past. The varied culture, arts and building materials of the Aztecs, Greeks, the Shang dynasty, what have you, the alien could think they were all different species, if that was his way of thinking…” The community seems wary of awarding these artefacts any title yet, given the fifty years of false hopes since Soontill was first mentioned by the Thargoids. However, reports indicate that these relics have now arrived at labs on both Mars and Capitol for further testing, and with any luck, we may soon finally agree on what these relics are, or are not. 19 MAY Quivira Honours the People's Princess Over the last week, Imperial forces loyal to Senator Patreus continued their assault on Quivira, and due to their efforts, Quivira Electronics Plc was finally able to secure control over Godel Dock early on Monday afternoon. Despite being abandoned by their supposed saviours, the People’s Quivira for Equality Party were able to find some small respite from the war in the Summerlands. Thanks to the efforts of Aisling Duval and her ‘angels’, refugees from the People’s Quivira for Equality Party found themselves well cared for in the Summerlands, even as their counterparts in Persephone and Quivira continued to suffer. Now that the war is over, the People’s Quivira for Equality Party has elected to pledge itself to Aisling’s service. In recognition of that fact, Senator Patreus has promised that only residents of Quivira who have directly broken Imperial law will be held responsible for the debt incurred by the previous administration. Members of the People’s Quivira for Equality Party who have sworn themselves to Aisling are expected to start returning to their homes over the next few days. Quivirans Defy Doom The war-torn region of Quivira has finally settled into an uneasy peace, following an intense period of fighting which saw hundreds of thousands dead and several billion credits worth of damage done to the local economy. Initially the situation looked promising for the People’s Quivira for Equality Party. Independent and Federal Commanders flocked from all across the galaxy in an attempt to repel Senator Denton Patreus’s attempts to extract the debts owed to him by the Quiviran government. Early attempts at repelling the Senator’s mercenary forces proved to be a success, and the freedom fighters were able to buy enough time for the People’s Quivira for Equality Party to evacuate a great many innocent civilians to neighbouring systems. Unfortunately, once the Party’s credits ran out, so too did the support of Independent and Federal pilots. 20 MAY Anti-Federation Terrorists Linked to Artefact Research Over the course of the weekend hundreds of tons of Bio-Waste were dumped in and around stations in 78 Ursae Majoris. This system is currently undergoing preparations for President Halsey's arrival as part of her planned grand tour. A group calling themselves 'The Canonn' claims responsibility for this act. An anonymous spokesperson told GalNet that they are "a movement of like-minded Commanders seeking the truth about the recently discovered 'Unknown Artefacts'." They state that they are "prepared to use whatever levers are at their disposal to increase the political pressure on the Federation government to force them to come clean." The spokesperson echoed growing fears that the artefacts could be some new weapon of mass destruction. Parallels were immediately drawn to Dr. Arcanonn and his recent demands to the Federation government following research into the Unknown Artefacts discovered to be transported in Federation convoys. We asked Arcanonn if he was connected to this terrorist group. He denied any responsibility for the group's actions but declined to answer any further questions on the subject of his potential involvement. However he did go on to say: "It is clear that we are not the only ones who are growing tired of the Federation's cover-up over these artefacts and some Commanders would seem to be taking more direct action. Obviously, I do not condone such methods but I can certainly sympathise with their frustration." "In the spirit of seeking to put an end to these disruptive acts I urge all citizens, Federation, Alliance and Empire alike, to petition your government to make public any information that they have on the origin and nature of these objects before these demonstrations escalate. I also appeal to Chief Xeno-Chemist Lyran Betar to contact me so that we can pool our resources and research into these potentially related items, in the search for answers for the common good of all humanity." 22 MAY Pilot Breaks Galactic Record Twice The accomplishments of independent pilots participating in the Buckyball Run A* rally race continue to make headlines around civilized space. This 26,000 light year rally race to the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy has so far attracted over 40 fearless competitors. One of these competitors, Commander Alot, has made a name for himself by beating the galactic record for the quickest run twice in less than a month. Alot’s current time to reach Sagittarius A*, an incredible 9 hours 39 minutes, was accomplished aboard a Faulcon DeLacy Anaconda named ‘Rhonda’. In comparison, his previous record-breaking attempt was done in 11 hours 46 minutes using a Lakon Spaceways Asp called the ‘Big Bird’. When asked for a statement, Alot answered philosophically: “Nothing lasts forever. I'm quite sure that in time my record will be beaten. In fact, I've already heard of several skilled pilots planning their next attempts, and I wish them the best of luck.” At the time of broadcast, Commander Kligg has already taken the lead, passing Commander Alot by a mere 8 minutes, using an Anaconda named the ‘Rub Tub’. However, Kligg himself speculated in a short statement that it was only a matter of time before Alot climbs back to the first position. Léonard Chamberlain - GalNet News Correspondent Aisling Opens Art Installation on Emerald The People’s Princess made an appearance in Cemiess late last night to attend the opening of Emerald’s newest art installation, ‘Prism’s Shades’, a multi-sensory experience that uses experimental light and sound projection technology to stimulate a series of empathic responses from its audience. Aisling dazzled crowds by dressing in a long-sleeved ruby red evening gown, adorned with painite sparkles. She accessorised with an equally stunning tinted visor, fashionably stamped with Aisling’s personal crest. Surprisingly, the people’s princess only stayed at the installation for a little over an hour. Aisling left the show long before midnight, citing exhaustion from her recent activities in the Summerlands as the reason behind her early exit. 23 MAY Arissa Addresses Problems in Persephone Speaking from the site of her new palace on Kamadhenu, Princess Lavigny-Duval today addressed the recent problems faced by residents of Persephone in the face of a plague outbreak which was brought to the system by the refugees from Quivira. “I understand the concerns of the citizens of Persephone, and I am sorry for their plight. However, the illness affecting the refugees, many of whom are malnourished and woefully lax in terms of adequate vaccination cover, is not something that should concern the locals.” “Of more concern to locals should be the increase in pirate activity, which I have been reliably informed is up by almost 600% since Patreus decided to start throwing his weight around.” “The people of Quivira certainly need help, but it is their patron’s responsibility to help them, not mine. I’m sure Aisling is more than capable of handling this problem herself. However, if she wishes for my help I will of course be happy to oblige. We are family, after all.” Extraordinary Transmission Contesting Dr Arcanonn After recent terrorist activities in 78 Ursae Majoris, GalNet received multiple reports about a single transmission regarding Dr Arcanonn, that has been broadcast via various radio stations throughout known inhabited space simultaneously without their approval. GalNet was provided with a recording of the audio message: “It doesn’t matter who I am. My message is clear and simple. You have all been deceived by a charismatic individual calling himself a scientist, full of misled ambitions, going by the name of Dr Arcanonn. He is taking advantage of the picture in your head of him being peaceful and reasonable for the greater good, but your support is being utilized and shamefully exploited. But who am I to trust? What do my words of prudence, my voice of sanity matter?” “Just look at his last statement, indirectly acknowledging terrorism, clearly showing that he is willing to do everything to achieve his own goals.” The voice goes on, describing the researcher’s various unsafe attempts to solve the artefact’s secrets and describing the Doctor’s demands for information as a masked attempt to sow the seeds of discord between them. The message closes with a call to stop the group’s support: “Don’t let yourself be fooled. Open your eyes and see the clear truth unfolded in front of you. I’m asking for your sanity! Don’t let history repeat itself! Remember!” It is still unknown how the coordinated transmission was achieved, as it presents a serious effort. The respective station owners are also researching how that broadcast was routed into their programmes and deny any previous knowledge or even support to allow this transmission. 24 MAY Securing the Borders in the Ceti Sector The return of Onionhead to Panem may be a blessing for the farmers of Kappa Fornacis, but for their neighbours, the Fornacian dream has turned into a living nightmare. “It’s not right,” one concerned resident of the nearby BD-18 394 system told GalNet. “Sure, they’re doing alright over there in Kappa F, but what about us? What do we get? I’ll tell you, smugglers and pirates, that’s what.” Crime has spiralled out of control throughout the Ceti Sector, with many locals echoing the sentiment that the Farmers Union of Kappa Fornacis should be held responsible for attracting such unsavoury characters to what was once a peaceful area. In an attempt to clean up the sector, the Independent Autahenetsi Labour Party are currently offering a range of bonus payments to any Bounty Hunters who sign up to act as Federal Ceti Sector Security Services Agents at Artyukhin Ring in Autahenetsi. 25 MAY Terrorism Claims Against Wolzan and the Shadow Navy Denounced by Crimson Fortune Company Ellie Blossum, The CEO of the Crimson Fortune Company, has today issued a statement regarding the recent unrest in Liaedin. "As many of you know, the Federation’s influence in Liaedin has come under attack in recent months, despite many years of peace between the Blossum and the Faveol families.” “We believe that this destabilisation effort was a deliberate act of malice, intended to encourage certain unruly members of the Faveol family to attempt to expand beyond the borders of Liaedin, as evidenced by the recent attack on Volungu.” “The Crimson Fortune Company would like to thank Commander Wolzan and the Shadow Navy for their efforts to keep the Liaedin system in a fair balance of power. We would also like to thank the many Federal pilots who came to our aid during the blockade of Liaedin last weekend. Without your diligence, we are certain that enemies of the Federation would even now be using Liaedin as a staging area for their illegal expansionist agenda.” 26 MAY President Misses Meeting Reports coming in from Saga indicate that the President has missed her scheduled meeting with delegates aboard Zudov Terminal. Maisy Stevenson, the leader of the Saga Republic Party, expressed her concern to GalNet in the following statement: “We were expecting Starflight One to arrive a little under 38 hours ago. An escort was sent to meet Starflight One at the prearranged location, but the ship simply didn’t appear. We informed Mars and were told that the President had decided to take a last-minute detour.” “I understand the President’s time is precious, but it would have been nice to get a little bit of advance notice. The people of Saga spent a not inconsiderable amount of time and credits preparing to greet the President, and now their hard work appears to have gone to waste. I do hope that the President manages to find time for us in her seemingly busy schedule. I would hate to think that the people of Saga had in some way been snubbed by Halsey.” Federal State of Emergency: Winters Declared Acting President At 15:00 hours universal galactic time on 26th May 3301, Secretary of State Felicia Winters assumed the role of Acting President of the Federation in the wake of the disappearance of Spaceflight One. Speaking in an emergency broadcast to the nation, Acting President Winters had this to say: “It is with deep regret and some trepidation that I must come before you today to announce that contact with the President’s ship, Spaceflight One, has been lost.” “Two days ago, Navy Command received word that the President would be taking an unscheduled detour to Azaleach. Her reasons as to why remain classified.” “12 hours ago, following entry into hyperspace, Spaceflight One went dark. All attempts by the President’s security team to trace the vessel have met with failure.” “Squadrons have been scrambled in an attempt to find President Halsey and Vice President Naylor, and I have faith that the Navy will do everything they can to bring them home.” “That said, in order to maintain a clear chain of command during this time of crisis, I will be assuming the role of Acting President of the Federation effective immediately. I hope I have your support, and I hope it will only have to be a temporary measure.” 27 MAY Shades of the Antares Incident At a press conference held earlier today, Acting Federal President Felicia Winters made a personal appearance to address the rdisappearance of Starship One after failing to re-enter normal space following a routine hyperspace jump. “The disappearance of Starship One has us all on edge. Tensions are high, and the rumour mills are making all their usual noise about terrorists, aliens, conspiracies and cover-ups. I’m afraid the truth will likely get you all far fewer viewers, but it is the truth that the people of the Federation need to hear from me now.” “I’m told the early investigations from telemetry and uplink data suggest an explosive drive failure destroyed Starship One in hyperspace, catapulting all three of her protective Guardian Wing out of hyperspace. Wreckage is likely spread across interstellar space. I’m told there are parallels with the loss of the Highliner Antares way back in 3251 when she was lost with all hands on her maiden voyage.” “I know I remember where I was when the Highliner Antares disappeared, and I fear we will always remember where we were the day Starship One was lost.” “While we don’t know what caused this incident – yet – we do know that Starship One’s engines experienced an unexpected surge of power just seconds before making its last jump.” “The search efforts will continue, of course. Our hearts and hope go out to the friends and families of President Halsey and all those lost yesterday in this terrible incident.” Federal Search Efforts Continue It has been almost 48 hours since the disappearance of Starship One. Early reports indicated that the ship was lost with all hands, and in this instance GalNet is pleased to announce that the early reports were mistaken. Three ships from Starship One’s Guardian Wing made contact with Navy HQ shortly after the initial disappearance. Unfortunately, they were not able to shed any light on the ultimate fate of Starship One. Despite thousands of Federal scouts combing the sectors along Starship One's secured route, designated Spaceflight One, no trace of the missing ship has been found. Specialist teams from Core Dynamics and the Sirius Corporation are currently attempting to analyse the wake and uplink data captured by the President’s Guardian Wing escorts in the moments before all four ships jumped. Theories involve either a rare misjump or some sort of catastrophic drive failure. Unfortunately, results so far are inconclusive as to what may have happened to President Halsey and her team. One member of the crew of one of the President’s Guardian Wing, who wished to remain nameless, spoke exclusively to GalNet about the last moments before the President’s disappearance. “I’ve never seen anything like it. One minute everything was fine. Pre-jump checks? Normal. Engine power? Normal. Our drives were slaved to Starship One, as is normal. The entry to hyperspace seemed normal at first, but then there was a terrible shock wave and our ship started tumbling. We exited hyperspace uncontrolled and in deep space – something I’ve never seen before. Our ship had taken damage. We couldn’t reach Starship One via comms, but managed to make contact with the other two members of the Guardian Wing. We first searched the deep space around our positions, then jumped to the destination point rendezvous as quickly as we could. Nothing. Not even wreckage. ” The Federal Navy are requesting that any pilots interested in helping to search along the Starflight One route should sign up for active duty as a member of the search and rescue team aboard Leoniceno Orbital in Azaleach. 28 MAY Emergency Session of Congress Shadow President Hudson today called an Emergency Session of Congress to address concerns surrounding Starship One’s disappearance. During the meeting, the Shadow President openly mocked the idea that Starship One’s disappearance could have been caused by simple engine failure. “Jasmina and I weren’t close – heck, we hated each other, and that’s the truth of it. But the idea, the very notion, that our best and brightest out there on Starship One would have let that bird fly with a busted engine... No way. Those guys are military. We need to be looking for who did it. We need to nail them NOW. The assassin is busy covering their tracks while we speak. This dithering inaction and woolly thinking is typical of this administration. Let’s face it Halsey had enough enemies like those onionhead guys, numerous frontier systems she has annoyed, and the elephant in the room – the Empire.” Acting President Winters took a more levelled approach. “I appreciate the sheer gamut of emotions my esteemed colleague must be feeling, but at times like these, level heads must prevail. We have found no evidence of foul play as yet. Our engineers are sifting through copious amounts of data and so far it does look like a very unusual catastrophic failure rather than sabotage.” The Truth is Out There Despite claims that the disappearance of Starship One was due to a failure in the ship’s Frame Shift Drive, rumours abound about a more sinister, possibly extraterrestrial explanation. Alex Snoori, host of the popular interstellar talk show Beyond Top Secret, had this to say to his listeners. “It’s an outrage, that’s what it is. Do you think those Martian fat cats that rule over us want you to know the truth? I don’t think so.” “Learn your history, people. It wasn’t all that long ago that our ancestors were being plucked out of the black right into the belly of bugs. Wake up sheeple, you don’t want to be sitting around dressed up like mutton when they come for you. Do not let the government tell you lies. You’re smarter than that.” “There’s been a lot of hullabaloo about strange things being found out there recently. Weird, pulsing, alien things. I don’t know where they came from, but I do know that they’re creepy, and gross, and almost certainly dangerous. You think it’s a coincidence that the President went missing just weeks after those THINGS turn up? Don’t be so naive. WAKE UP sheeple, you’re being lied to.” 29 MAY Hudson Calls for Vote of No Confidence Shadow President Zachary Hudson has continued his criticism of Halsey’s administration, finally moving to the feared vote of no confidence. In his address to Congress, Shadow President Hudson has made it clear the situation needs a resolution. “These are uncertain times and, with no disrespect to Jasmina’s memory, we need to put an end to this weak administration and bring our beloved Federation back on track. We cannot allow ourselves the luxury of wallowing in this state of horrendous disarray for even a moment longer.” “Had Jasmina returned, it would have made no difference. She was away trying to raise support from the frontier as she knew this vote of no confidence was coming. I call for it now. Let’s get it out of the way and move on, here on Mars and throughout the Federation.” “We are not some Imperial dynasty. We do not allow the whims of our dead to dictate terms to the living.” “As such, in her absence, and without any ill intent towards Secretary Winters, I am issuing a call for a vote of no confidence against the current administration.” Winters Willingly Agrees to Vote Following Shadow President Zachary Hudson’s call to have Congress issue a Vote of No Confidence against President Jasmina Halsey, Acting President Felicia Winters held a press conference outside Congress to address the Shadow President’s concerns about the future. “Let me start by saying how truly saddened I am by the loss of my long time friend, Jasmina. I know that were she here instead of me, she would be deeply disappointed with the fear-mongering being bandied about by members of the opposition. Nevertheless we have to bow to process.” “In order to allow a right and proper number of representatives from the frontier worlds to attend, Congress will meet on Monday to formally vote on the future of the Federation. Should I be chosen to continue to serve, I promise that you will get the kind of president that you deserve.” 30 MAY Malfunction or Malice? It has now been 5 days since Starship One lost contact, and the search and rescue teams have yet to find any trace of the missing ship or her crew. According to Lieutenant Barringer of the Federal Transport Safety Administration: “Starship One’s disappearance appears to have been caused by a major malfunction in the Frame Shift Drive’s safety systems. It looks like there was a major power surge, followed by four separate system failures in quick succession according to the data we have, resulting in a catastrophic explosion. We do not believe this explosion would have been survivable by anyone on board.” “The FTSA has seen each of these failures in commercial and military hyperdrives in the last few years, but each one has resulted in the drive shutting down and the ship failing to enter hyperspace. “There are strong similarities with the loss of the Highliner Antares in 3251, but since then we have many more safety systems designed to prevent such failures. At the moment it looks like this was a terribly unlucky tragic accident. We have not found any evidence of tampering, and all the systems passed their automated pre-flight checks.” “Our condolences go out to the loved ones of those lost.” A Vote of Congressional Confidence There is blood in the water and the politicians have begun hunting their prey. Yesterday, Shadow President Hudson placed a motion before Congress asking that they issue a Vote of No Confidence against President Halsey’s administration. The motion was accepted, and the vote has been scheduled to take place on Monday afternoon. According to historic procedure, if a Vote of No Confidence in the encumbent President succeeds, then the Shadow President gets the chance to form an administration, which in turn is then put to a vote. If this fails, then a full congressional election is triggered. The Shadow President succeeding in these circumstances is not unheard of, but pretty rare. The last occasion was when the increasingly unpopular Eugene Cooper was ousted by the charismatic Antonia Madison in 3264 following a mid-term Vote of No Confidence. 31 MAY 78 Ursae Majoris Celebrates Security with Shield Sale After a series of skirmishes between independent pilots and pirates, as well as the drawn out battle against the Sobek Boys, 78 Ursae Majoris was facing a security threat in the run-up to Federal President Jasmina Halsey’s planned visit. News of the catastrophic accident that is believed to have consumed Starship One, and taken the President’s life, has been spreading through the galaxy, but 78 Ursae Majoris has now been secured. The system saw a huge influx of independent pilots as Andrew Bailey, Mayor of Townshend Hub and local leader of the Alioth Independents, declared the security and military campaign. Independent pilots were tasked with eradicating criminal elements in and around Alliance territory, along with being enlisted in a military campaign against the Sobek Boys, a criminal syndicate operating from the Sobek system. There was a lull in fighting the Sobek Boys however, as the objective took a few days to actually reach a completion mark. Some might think there might be more behind as to why this objective wasn't touched in the starting days. Ivan Shevchenko, a known mercenary and fighter pilot, has given us his opinion on the matter: "There is a large difference between fighting traditional asteroid belt pirates, and a well organized militia force. And that isn't something I say lightly, having been in the conflict areas. The Sobek Boys' ships were well armed and heavily reinforced. A whole gang of pirates running around with that kind of gear is bad for any system or region of space. But that could also be the reason as to why nobody was really wanting to fight them. Nobody wants to be tangled up against that kind of firepower, even I don't and I own one of the best bounty hunting vessels you can get. On the other hand, independent pilots could've also been distracted by the other directive Mayor Bailey put out to stopping pirate activity. At the same time though I have to say, who knows. I suppose in the end though, all of us who helped put a stop to the Sobek Boys and pirate activities in and around 78 Ursae Majoris did a very good thing for the Alliance and its members." - CMDR Shevchenko Category:GalNet